Compiler?

I'm thinking I'll go and buy Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 to use as my compiler program and all my tools. Good thing is I can get it for $40 at school Now my question is should I get this? Do you think they will recommend it or is there something else that is more widely used?

The answer to your question really lies in answering this question.....

Do I want to learn win32 programming?

If you think that you answer that positively then go out and buy it. Visual c has some strange quirks but once you get used to them its an excellent compiler. It is the best compiler for windows programming and directx programming. Also MFC programming is easy with visual c and the help files are pretty good too.

On the downside it is basically a windows only compiler which is fine by me because thats what 80% of my work involves.

Also as Dean keeps pointing out Visual studio 7 will be out soon and you will be able to use the features of .NET with that but by the time you are ready to do that, Visual studio 9 may be out by then.

If windows programming is not your thing then buy a different compiler.There are also several free compilers on the web available for download.

iain

VC++ is meant to be a very good compiler, there is apparently a trial version available from somewhere, though i have been unsuccessful in locating this and noone will tell me where it is. I am considering buying it on academic license myself.

Could some one please reply with a link to downloading the trial (intro) version of VC++6, then you can try it, if you like it buy it. You are getting a pretty hefty discount!

By "programming program" you mean integrated development environment. Yes, Visual C++ is a nice IDE... the best one I've ever used. Very programming friendly... but I haven't used that many commerical compilers. IMO, It's worth $40, even if you aren't going to be programming specifically for windows.

Buy it!

You should buy VC++ if your doing windows. Its not only a great compiler with incredible help and enviornment, its a very nice C++ enviornment. I can't stand using other compilers after ive used MSVC, it auto-formats the text and lets you do dynamic classview, plus it has most all of the windows functions built in to tell you syntax on the spot, and this even works for your own code! If I go:

void lala()
{
printf("HeLLO!");
}

then I type
void main()
{
lala(

A little box comes upo can tells me this:

"void lala()"

Letting you know the syntax of the function.

SPH

P.S. The "trial" version is what you get in the bookstore, a "Introductory Edition" is the name, its what I use, it gives a message saying its only a trial, but that can be corrected.

Good Deal!

if you haven't by now BUY IT. For instance i started with the introductory edition which came the Deitel and Deitel's book, and I fell in love with it for windows programming. IMO it was was better than what I was using (Borland C++ 5.02...I should add that I have no experience with Borland C++ Builder. It apparently kicks tail) Okay, i'll get to the point. Recently i've begun to learn MFC and the Introductory edition was missing a few lib. i was so addicted that i felt the one hundred dollar asking price for the standard edition was worth it. Forty bucks...what a deal!

mix0matt

THIS IS NOT JUST A CHRONICLING OF THINGS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST BUT OUR RISE TO POWER.

Not everyone (read, damn near no one) prefers a console to a GUI, or at least, nearly no one who uses windows.

Then the question becomes, why not use Dev-C++ which is free, vs Visual C++. Visual C++ is simply a more friendly enviroment. It is easier to browse classes/functions to find their definition and arguments, it automically formats code (as well as has built in functions to clean it up), puts up a list of arguements whenever you write a the opening parenthesis, (IE, you type in "sin(" and a little box will pop up saying double), has more friendly error messages (for things that aren't found, Visual C++ will say something like "undeclared identifier", while Dev-C++ will say "implicit declaraction of ". And that's just from memory... of someone who now uses Dev C++ and used to use MSVC.